The Newton Conservators Invasives Team tackles garlic mustard, buckthorn, black swallow-wort, bittersweet, japanese knotweed, and other problems in many of Newton’s open spaces. Come join us! The schedule for this month is listed below (other dates are listed in separate “events” by month). Help keep these invaders out! Wear long pants tucked into socks, closed shoes, and garden gloves. Trash bags will be provided; the City will dispose properly as trash, not as yard waste. Volunteers should complete this online Release Form or they can do it on site.
July is still ok for getting garlic mustard out – easy and fun to pull and great for kids too. Black swallow-wort, a monarch butterfly killer, is in its glory around July, with flowers and pods in production, and we’ll dig and where necessary just pull pods off to avoid further spread.
July 5 Sat 9:30-12 – Hemlock Gorge Black Swallow-wort. Meet at the Ellis St parking lot at corner Quinobequin and Rte 9.
July 6 – Sun 1-3 – Hemlock Gorge Black Swallow-wort. Meet at the Ellis St parking lot at corner Quinobequin and Rte 9.
For the remainder of July and August, we’ll try earlier morning sessions to avoid the heat, and schedule for Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
July 17 Thursday – 8:30am – 10am. Garlic Mustard along aqueduct near Plymouth Rd. Meet at Plymouth Rd entrance to Cold Spring Park (but we’ll be working on the aqueduct side of Plymouth Rd, not in the park).
July 19 Saturday – 8:30am – 10am. Hemlock Gorge – meet at Ellis St lot corner Rte 9.
July 20 Sunday – 8:30am – 10am. Hemlock Gorge – meet at Ellis St lot corner Rte 9.
July 24 Thursday 8:30 – 10am. Saw Mill Brook conservation area. Meet at Vine St lot.
July 26 Saturday – 8:30am – 10am. SCHEDULE CHANGE: THIS WILL BE COLD SPRING PARK. (We’ll go to Kesseler in August.)
July 27 Sunday – 8:30am – 10am. Heartbreak Hill Park. at the Waban Hill Reservoir. Meet at the park entrance near 28 Manet Rd in Chestnut Hill.
July 31 Thursday 8:30 – 10am. SCHEDULE CHANGE: THIS WILL BE COLD SPRING PARK.. (We’ll go back to Hammond Pond in August.).
Steady rain will cancel the session. If in doubt, contact Katherine Howard at 617 721 2571. New to our invasives sessions? See our FAQs and complete Volunteer Release form.
